


We Have That In Common: The One Where Draco Has a Birthday

by realjane



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Birthday Fluff, Birthday Presents, Chocolate Frog Cards, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:40:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24449749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/realjane/pseuds/realjane
Summary: Draco was careful to prevent *anyone* from knowing it was his birthday, but somehow, Luna Lovegood found out. And somehow... she knows what a poor, lonely wizard needs: a bit of understanding.
Relationships: Luna Lovegood/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 6
Kudos: 46
Collections: Draco’s Birthday Bash Mini Fest





	We Have That In Common: The One Where Draco Has a Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the First Annual Draco's Birthday Bash for Draco's Den :)  
> My assigned pairing was Draco/Luna.  
> *this is my 20th fic on Ao3!*

Something drew his gaze to the balcony. A little hovering flame, which was suspended above the railing. He leaned closer. At second glance, it wasn’t hovering… there was, in fact, an actual candle, dripping wax onto the twisted wrought iron.  _ What in Merlin’s name... _ Draco slid open the door. As he stepped out fully, a candle flickered on the next balcony over, and one by one, small flames alighted across the alley on the fire escape--going up the steps, along the bannister, on the corner of each landing. If he had bothered to count, he would’ve found thirty candles exactly. Still, they were obviously meant for him. He could’ve groaned if he wasn’t so stunned.  _ Oh. Bollocks. _ He coughed.

A small present sat on his bistro table, wrapped in silver and green paper with a velvet ribbon.

“Joyeux anniversaire.” Her voice lilted in that floaty way that was all Luna Lovegood, and  _ she _ leaned against the railing, hair glowing like anything in the candlelight. She smiled softly.

Draco shook his head. “What are you doing?” He gestured to the wall of light.

She shrugged. “It’s your birthday.”

“Well observed.” He glanced back inside, where he had abandoned his takeout and a glass of Scotch.

“Have I interrupted something?”

“Lovegood, listen…” Draco carded his hand through his hair. “I appreciate what you’re doing, but I’m not in the mood.

“For candles?”

“For  _ patronizing  _ birthday sympathy.”

She frowned slightly. “I didn’t know I had offered you any sympathy; I must try to be more attuned to your solitude in the future.” Luna pushed back from the railing and gave him an apologetic curtsy. “The wind will blow them out once I’ve gone, so. Don’t worry about making wishes or anything. That’s all nonsense.” She retreated from the glow and moved to leave however she had arrived.

“Wait…” Draco sighed. Luna peered at him over her shoulder with those large grey eyes. “I’m an ungrateful prick, but… thanks all the same.”

“You’re not ungrateful,” she said. Luna tugged a hair tie off her wrist and secured her hair in a low braid, as if she was doing observations in the field; he had seen her do this on several cases where the Department of Mysteries was called in. It always meant she was about to dig in. She sat on the balcony with her feet through the iron rungs, dangling her light pink trainers over the edge. 

Draco felt obligated to sit, too, so he settled himself in one of his little metal chairs, which one could not lean back in for fear of teetering off balance. “...I’m  _ not? _ ” 

Luna shook her head. “You’re lonely, and loneliness feels better when it goes unchallenged. But don’t worry--I won’t push you on it. I have my own at home.”

He folded his hands in his lap and studied her. She looked so comfortable over there. Come to think of it, he had never seen her uncomfortable or unsettled. Luna was the sort of witch who found herself unbothered by what ought to be unsettling. Like  _ him _ . She really was quite relaxed around him. She noticed his moods in the field, but never shied away from her questions.  _ Ravenclaws.  _ Perhaps that was why she was perfect for Mysteries, given all of the deep and disturbing cases they handled--but at a certain point he wondered if her lack of fear was a hindrance. Still… 

“You are… very strange, Lovegood.” 

Her smile grew into a beaming grin, as if he had just paid her the most flattering compliment she had ever heard. “So, you’ve noticed, then.”

“How could I not, really?” Draco scratched his temple. “Out of curiosity, how did you figure out it was my birthday? I thought I had scrubbed that information from my personnel file.”

She laughed. “Blaise Zabini decorated your office with quite an array of streamers, and I suspect a few traps from Zonko’s. I would take care when you return not to open any drawers suddenly.”

“Glad I took the day off, then.”

“If you do not feel comfortable with fanfare, it is a fortunate thing.” Luna pointed to the gift on the table. “I can tell you what’s in the package.”

“Might be for the best.” Draco stared at the little package as if it might explode. “As you have just learned about me, I hate surprises.”

“It’s a Draco Malfoy Famous Wizard card, and the frog is filled with hazelnut.”

“I…  _ how?” _ He opened the lid hesitantly. Inside was the famous purple box; upon investigation, it cradled a chocolate  _ hazelnut _ frog, as Luna had said--far and away his favorite dessert combination--and beneath it… he held the card up to the candle light and the holographic photo of  _ himself _ in the finest of his Ministry robes stood proudly, nodding back to him. His picture was framed in gold. Were it  _ real _ , it would be considered rare by that distinction. It was quite a convincing facsimile. He turned it over.

> _ #120 _
> 
> _ Draco Lucius Malfoy _
> 
> _ 1980-Present _
> 
> _ Auror _
> 
> _ Former Slytherin Seeker _
> 
> _ Hero of the Second Wizarding War _

A lump caught in his throat. He shook his head. 

“You don’t like it.”

He looked up at her and felt his eyes immediately prickle. “This is an awful lot of trouble for one’s thirtieth birthday.” He sniffed.

“That’s an exclusive card,” she said. “Only five in existence.”

“You didn’t have this  _ made for me _ , did you--”

“Oh, no. This is from their new collection. Harry has one, and Hermione and Ron.”

He hiccoughed a laugh. “Doesn’t feel like such an honor, if Weasley has one,” he said lightly, but his mouth turned up at the corners. 

“It isn’t.” Luna smiled, shaking her head. “For someone who doesn’t like fuss, you sure seem to like this. It’s just a chocolate frog--”

“Let me have this.” Draco turned the card over and over in his hand. It felt intensely special… why? Why did he want to burst into tears over a novelty child’s favor? He secured the gift back inside the box and glared at Luna. How dare she shake him like this? “Do you like Chinese food?” he demanded, standing.

Luna stood, too, smoothing her blouse. “I’ve never met a food I didn’t like. Except tomatoes, but they make me itchy.”

“I have more than enough food for the both of us, and… and I find that I don’t mind so much being  _ not alone,  _ for once.” He set his hands on the railing, making a pointed decision. He was thankful, more than he could really put into words. And somehow, she had absolutely understood that he needed all this. “Lovegood-- _ Luna _ ...” he stopped, but she nodded.

“You’re like me.”

“I am?”

“Oh, yes. Terrified of growing older, hoping nobody notices.” She unwound the tie from the braid and shook out her long hair. It framed her face in a most becoming way, tickling her cheekbones in soft waves. She must have gotten what she was looking for… or at least, she was satisfied that he was properly… comforted. Or whatever she had come here to do. “We have that in common.”

Draco narrowed his eyes. “You’ve never been afraid of anything in your entire life.”

“I’m scared all the time. I don’t let it stop me from living.” She waved at him. “Move over, or I can’t apparate.”

He stepped to the side with a disbelieving chuckle and almost immediately, Luna Lovegood appeared beside him on the balcony with a _ whoosh.  _ She touched his elbow and he coiled back. “Hello.” His greeting sounded breathy but she didn’t seem to notice  _ that _ , so much as his hands held up in front of him. 

“You don’t like being touched,” she observed, removing her hand. “I apologize.”

“No, no.” He grabbed her hand, putting it back on his forearm hastily. “I’m just not used to it. Someone touching me. In a… nice way.”

“Do you want to hug me?” The question was asinine and yet she absolutely meant it. He patted her hand.

“I don’t know if I’m ready for that. But. Maybe I’ll take you up on it at a later date.”

“Baby steps, then.” Luna took his hand. “Better?”

“Mmm.” He breathed out slowly. She was alarmingly pleasant to be around. Surely she had more interesting things to do than pity a poor man on his birthday. But she squeezed his hand.

“Say what you mean, Draco. It’s good for you.”

“You’re pretty,” he said quickly. “And, your directness makes me forget to be self-conscious… and I’m hungry… how’s that?”

“Well done. Happy birthday, Draco.” She kissed his cheek and pulled him inside, causing his cheeks to flush wildly. He cast a look back at the first of her gifts; sure enough, the candles were extinguished by the wind. He made a wish.

**Author's Note:**

> I have never written Luna before as a central character--this was such a fun challenge! They do have a strange symmetry, don't they? :) Thanks for reading!


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